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In this episode, Mark Salisbury tackles one of the most misunderstood concepts in post-secondary planning: return on investment. He makes the case that ROI genuinely matters, then exposes the shaky data behind popular ROI rankings, using the University of Michigan's College Scorecard numbers to show how figures like "average annual cost" and "median earnings" are drawn from a small, unrepresentative slice of students. Mark pushes back on higher-ed marketing claims that tie ROI to brand-name alumni networks, and challenges the notion that a liberal arts education's payoff magically emerges decades later. Instead, he reframes ROI through a "play to keep playing" lens borrowed from Simon Sinek, arguing that the real return is whether an educational investment expands or constrains a student's future options. He closes with an invitation to use his grant-funded Pathways Planning and Insights program, a free resource designed to help parents navigate the financial side of post-secondary planning alongside their students.  

Higher ed finance expert, Mark Salisbury, pulls back the curtain on how the financial aid system really works and why it looks nothing like what most families expect. From the FAFSA to the CSS Profile, he explains how colleges use the data families voluntarily provide not to help them afford school, but to calculate the minimum discount needed to get them to enroll. He breaks down how institutional aid is front-loaded to attract freshmen while costs quietly balloon in later years, how the private scholarship industry profits off parental anxiety, and how misleading award letters use "magic math" and jargon to obscure the true price of attendance. Using real examples from schools like Howard University, DePaul, and Loyola Chicago, he shows exactly how these tactics play out in practice. The conversation also covers practical strategies families can use to fight back, including the importance of early planning, understanding who should and shouldn't rush to file the FAFSA, and why appealing your financial aid offer is one of the most powerful and underused tools available to consumers. Whether you're a parent, student, or school counselor, this episode is an essential primer on navigating one of the most lopsided marketplaces in America.

Higher education researcher and founder of Tuition Fit and Pathways, Mark Salisbury, explains how college pricing actually works behind the scenes. He debunks four common myths: that all colleges are too expensive, that in-state public universities are always the cheapest option, that net price figures are entirely accurate, and that financial aid is a limited resource. He outlines how colleges set sticker prices as messaging tools, use "financial aid optimization" (algorithmic discounting designed to extract the maximum each family will pay), and engage in what he calls surveillance pricing by monitoring demonstrated interest and FAFSA data. To conclude, he offers practical advice: focus on post-graduation outcomes rather than prestige, establish a price range early, use net price calculators and tools like Tuition Fit, and remember that people succeed at every price point.

In this episode of the NGPF podcast, investment expert Patrick Geddes pulls back the curtain on the investment industry, breaking down the difference between asset managers and wealth managers and explaining how each gets paid. Geddes walks listeners through the most important questions to ask a financial advisor, including how to identify hidden fees, understand fiduciary standards, and evaluate professional designations like CFP and CFA. He makes a compelling case for low-cost index fund investing, explaining how even a fee under 1% can cost an investor hundreds of thousands of dollars over time due to the power of compounding. The episode closes with an honest framework for deciding whether to hire an advisor or go the do-it-yourself route, empowering listeners to think of themselves first as consumers — not just investors.

In this episode of the NGPF podcast, investment professional Patrick Geddes walks listeners through the fundamentals of turning financial goals into actionable plans, covering topics like retirement planning, asset allocation, and how time horizons should shape investment decisions. He explains practical tools like the 4% withdrawal rule, walks through a concrete example of calculating how much a retiree will need in their portfolio, and discusses the pros and cons of target date funds. Patrick makes a strong case for low-cost, cap-weighted index funds over active management, arguing that the evidence in favor of indexing is overwhelming, and covers how to think about stock and bond selection across both taxable and tax-advantaged accounts. He also tackles the often-overlooked complexity of viewing your total portfolio across all accounts simultaneously, including a case study where listeners calculate a sample investor's true asset allocation. The episode wraps up with practical guidance on rebalancing, how often to check your accounts, and the importance of accounting for taxes when evaluating the real value of different account types.

In this episode of the NGPF podcast, investment expert Patrick Geddes breaks down two of the most fundamental concepts in personal finance, asset classes and asset allocation, in a way that's clear, engaging, and immediately usable in the classroom. Patrick argues that asset allocation is the single most important decision any investor makes, and walks listeners through the trade-offs between safer assets like cash and bonds and riskier ones like stocks and real estate, using relatable analogies that your students will actually remember. He dives deep into the tension between market risk and inflation risk, showing decades of real return data that make a compelling case for why long-term investors should embrace — not fear the stock market. The episode also tackles the active versus passive investing debate head-on, presenting overwhelming evidence that index funds outperform actively managed funds over time, and explaining the psychological biases that lead so many investors to make costly mistakes anyway. Whether you're introducing students to investing for the first time or helping them think more critically about financial decision-making, this episode gives you the data, the language, and the real-world examples to bring these concepts to life.

Investment expert Patrick Geddes cuts through the intimidation and jargon of investing to reveal what truly matters, and what you can safely ignore. Patrick makes the case that good habits, not brilliance, are the real secret to building wealth, using compelling stories like Grace Groner, who turned $180 into $7.2 million simply by buying and holding. He covers why starting early, staying invested through market downturns, and keeping fees low are far more powerful than trying to pick winning stocks or time the market. Patrick also challenges common myths, like the idea that good investing must be complicated, and he explains why boring index funds beat the vast majority of actively managed funds over the long run. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just getting started, this session offers a refreshingly honest, research-backed perspective that'll leave you feeling less intimidated about long-term investing!

In this episode, Tim interviews David Gardner, co-founder of The Motley Fool, about how to make investing approachable for younger learners. David shares the scrappy origin story behind The Motley Fool, two classroom-ready stories to hook teens on stock market basics, and practical ways that you can help your own students distinguish between investing behaviors and gambling behaviors. You'll also hear why investing is often under-taught, how teachers can build confidence to teach it, and you'll get a preview of the new interactive "Freedometer" tool being piloted with NGPF to strengthen stock market and investing instruction across the nation!

Yanely talks to Chad Mallo, a former loan officer turned award-winning educator, to unpack how early money memories, and a family's bill-paying routines, can shape lifelong financial habits. Chad shares what it really took to leave a two-decade banking career for the classroom, including the mindset shifts, sacrifices, and "am I truly helping people?" moment that changed everything. Together, they explore how teachers can build trust, make personal finance feel relevant in a cashless, app-driven world, and learn alongside students without "faking it." You'll hear practical strategies for creating a safe classroom culture, addressing the digital divide, and helping students talk about money even when it's taboo at home. Chad also highlights powerful success stories from student entrepreneurship competitions and a memorable example of differentiated assessment that helped a reluctant student demonstrate mastery.

Yanely chats with CFP and financial journalist Hanna Horvath to unpack why money struggles persist even when information is everywhere, and why the real missing piece is often psychology! Together, they explore "money scripts," financial anxiety, and the emotional triggers behind impulse spending and avoidance, offering educators a fresh lens for teaching personal finance beyond tactics and terminology. Hanna breaks down the generational pressures fueling stress for Millennials and Gen Z, from housing unaffordability to comparison culture and algorithm-driven status signaling. The conversation also digs into how fintech and AI can both support healthy habits and amplify predatory design, with practical red flags teachers can share to help students evaluate financial content on social media. You'll hear candid takes on buy now, pay later, the "casino economy," and the ways modern products make spending frictionless, and why values-based decision-making is a critical antidote. If you're looking for classroom-ready insights that connect behavioral science, media literacy, and real-world money challenges, this episode delivers plenty to discuss with your students.

Tim welcomes Ted Daniels, whose work has helped empower thousands of students through HBCUs and peer-to-peer, student ambassador programs. Ted shares the personal moments that sparked his mission, from balancing a family checkbook in high school to advising federal coworkers who didn't understand basic investing. Together, they dig into the topics students most want: value-based budgeting, improving credit, and learning how to invest without falling for get-rich-quick schemes. The conversation also tackles modern challenges like gambling, cryptocurrency hype, and how AI is shaping money management—while emphasizing that foundational financial knowledge is still essential. You'll hear practical strategies for teaching investing patiently, building wealth over time, and making smart financial habits easier by designing the right environment. The chat ends with inspiring outcomes, including evidence of measurable impact, real career success stories, and Daniels' award-winning children's book that helps families start money conversations early!

Tom Proulx shares the story of how he co-founded Intuit and created Quicken in his Stanford dorm room in 1983 after a chance meeting with Scott Cook outside the engineering library. Proulx explains how they revolutionized personal finance software by focusing on what customers actually wanted: to save time on tedious tasks like bill paying and check register maintenance, rather than adding complex features most people didn't use. The conversation offers valuable lessons for financial education teachers, particularly around entrepreneurship, where Proulx emphasizes that perseverance is the #1 trait for success and stresses the importance of deeply understanding your customer rather than building what you personally want. Proulx also discusses how Quicken evolved based on user research (discovering half their users ran small businesses led to QuickBooks), the 1993 IPO and TurboTax acquisition, and his vision for AI-powered financial tools that could help people automate finances and tackle credit card debt more effectively.

In this NGPF Speaker Series conversation, former New England Patriots COO Andy Wasynczuk shares how a chance connection led to a surprising career pivot into pro sports leadership. He connects early money lessons from his immigrant upbringing to real-world decisions behind running a team, from stadium financing to revenue strategy. Financial literacy educators will love the clear, classroom-ready explanation of salary cap management, contract structure, and how analytics helped drive a long-term turnaround. The discussion also tackles timely topics like NIL and the transfer portal, plus what agents do well and where players still face financial risks. He closes with thoughtful reflections on how AI can inform decisions while human judgment, trust, and accountability remain essential.

In this NGPF Speaker Series episode, Tim Ranzetta interviews high school junior Sid Tripathi, founder of the Dollar Investigators, a youth-led initiative teaching elementary students foundational money skills. Sid shares how family conversations about finances and early entrepreneurship shaped his "long game" mindset around saving, investing, and avoiding get-rich-quick thinking. He explains how his team brings concepts like needs versus wants, budgeting, banking, debt, and compound interest to younger learners through hands-on activities and roleplay. Tim and Sid also discuss what motivates students, how to make financial topics immediately relevant, and what Sid has observed about teen investing apps, sports betting, and crypto hype. The conversation highlights how student-led teaching can normalize money talk, build confidence, and plant early "seeds" of financial decision-making. Educators will leave with practical ideas for engaging lessons, inspiring youth leadership, and ways to scale financial literacy impact beyond a single classroom.

In this episode of the NGPF Speaker Series, former teacher Kathy Cuevas shares her career journey into education and the real-life experiences that shaped her approach to teaching—especially serving students with disabilities and students from low-income communities. She offers practical, classroom-tested advice for educators who are new to teaching personal finance, including how to get creative when resources are limited and how to seek support beyond your own school building. Kathy also walks listeners through hard-earned lessons from her own financial life. She talks about the mistakes, setbacks, and turning points that ultimately helped her retire with confidence. The conversation dives into teacher-specific retirement topics like 403(b) plans, real estate, and why building multiple streams of income can create flexibility in retirement. They also break down advanced strategies in accessible language, including Roth conversions, required minimum distributions, and how to think about risk over the long term. Overall, it's a candid, motivating conversation that encourages teachers to start planning early, keep learning, and build a retirement roadmap they can actually feel good about.